This. This is what we need. These are the kind of steps from which we all benefit. Google has just announced the Open Patent Non-Assertion Pledge: the company promises not to sue any users, distributors, or developers of open source products based on the patents it owns (unless first attacked).

No. That blocks progress. Stuff always become cheaper as time goes by -especially in the technology industry. It's a core aspect of this industry. If Google doesn't do it, someone else will. It's how this business works. Virtually every piece of software has a free counterpart - some better, some worse. This is a risk that you should be aware of if you work in this industry, and you should have accounted for it.

Imagine if Netscape had forced its competitors to never release a free browser. We'd all be fucked.